Mud gun



Jan. 14, 1941. BROSlUs 2,228,255

MUD GUN Filed Sept. 25,' 1938 v s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR Edgar E. Bros/us Jan. 14, 1941. E. E. BROSIUS MUD GUN Filed Sept. 23, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Edgarf. Bros/us Jan. 14, 1941. E, s s I 2,228,255

MUD GUN Filed Sept. 23, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 F1 9. 3.

INVENTOR Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The present invention relates generally to the iron and steel industry and more particularly to that phase thereof relating to the proper operation of furnaces such, for example, as blast fur- 5 naces. In the operation of furnaces it is necessary to provide a tapping opening or iron notch for withdrawing molten metal from the furnace. A closure for this opening is necessary during the heating operations. So-called mud guns have been heretofore utilized in closing such openings by discharging a sufficient quantity of clay-like material into the openings under pressure. The present invention relates specifically to new and improved apparatus for handling these so-called mud guns.

Considerable difliculty has heretofore been encountered in the handling and operation of mud guns. Generally speaking, the apparatus employed has been cumbersome, expensive and not particularly satisfactory in operation; Rope drives of various types have been utilized for moving such mud guns into and out of operative position with respect to the tapping opening.

An example of this type of operating mechanism is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,899,433.

By the present invention I provide a structure which eliminates the usual rope operating mechanism and in which the gun is moved into and out of operating position along a circular track appropriately mounted on the furnace. The structure which I provide is relatively simple and cheap to manufacture and is of such character that the gun may or may not, as desired, be swung into operative hole-closing position and held against movement from such position by a common means. In the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention for purposes of illustration only, common. means of the above character is provided. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that the gun may be held in hole-closing position by various different means.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus which I provide, the supporting members being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line III- III of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IV IV of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawings, the mud gun 3 is supported upon and moved into and out of operative position along a circular track 2. The

gun 3 is supported by a boom 4 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 5 carried by a support 6 secured to the furnace column I. The principal portion of the weight of the gun is supported by the pivot 5 through the boom 4 and the remaining weight of the gun and its supporting mechanism is borne by the track 2 along which the gun and boom. move.

One end of the track 2 is supported by a plurality of angles 8 which are secured to the furnace column 1. The free ends of the angles 8 are secured to gusset plates 9 to which one end of the track is secured by means of a removable pin Ill. The other end of the track 2 is supported by an anchor beam H which, in turn, is secured to brackets i2 mounted on a channel i3 carried by the furnace wall. The anchor beam is a box-like beam or girder which is pivotally supported on the furnace channel. The anchor beam at its'free end supports the one end of the circular track, the connection between the two being effected through a pivot pin It which is removable so as to permit the ready removal of the track either for replacement purposes or for the purpose of removing the entire equipment out of the way of the furnace operators. The circular track has a plate or block 2 welded to each end thereof. These plates or blocks 2' are drilled for cooperation with the pins i0 and IS. The end block or plate 2 which cooperates with the anchor beam It seats on the anchor beam. This beam also has welded or otherwise secured to it a strap ll through which the pivot pin I6 passes, the strap H, the block 2' and the beam ll having holes therethrough for cooperation with the supporting pin it. The block 2 at the opposite end of the circular track is drilled for cooperation with the supporting pin Ill extending through the gusset plate 9.

The forward end of the boom carries spaced arms 20, on the ends of which are mounted rollers 2i. These rollers are supported on pins 22 carried by the arms, and the rollers mounted thereon cooperate with the track 2 so that the boom and the parts carried thereby may be readily moved along the track.

The gun is moved into and out of operating position by mechanism carried by the boom. The track 2 is in the form of an I-beam and the web thereof is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 23 arranged to cooperate with the pins 24 on a pin gear 25. This forms a rack and pinion drive for the movement of the gun. The pin gear 25 is driven by a motor 26. This drive is effected through a gear 21 carried by the motor shaft, a gear 28 carried by the shaft 29, the worm 30 carried by the shaft 29, and the worm wheel 3! carried by the shaft 32, upon which the pin gear 25 is mounted. When the motor 26 is energized, the pin gear 25 will be driven, and this will cause the boom and the mud gun carried thereby to be moved into or out of operative position.

In operation, when the mud gun is moved against the furnace and is drawn firmly into position by the motor 26, the motor will revolve until it is stopped by the stoppage of the gun and the stoppage of the reducing gear. This puts some torsion on the armature shaft of the motor and when the current is cut off the motor spring or whip in the armature shaft will have a tendency to kick the motor backward for a few revolutions. This will tend to release the mud gun slightly and move it away from the furnace. This is true even though a non-reversing worm gear is used. This backward movement of the gun away from the furnace opening may be prevented by providing a magnetic brake 26a on the motor to prevent the motor armature from backing up when the current is out off.

The mud gun 3, which may be of any suitable type, is carried by the boom 4 at the outer end thereof. The gun is attached to the end of the boom by means of a suitable mounting indicated generally by the reference character 33, so that the gun can be rotated in the horizontal plane. A pivotal mounting 34 is also provided for the gun so that it can be moved in a vertical plane also.

so as to be brought into appropriate position relative to the furnace.

It will be apparent from what has been stated that in the structure which I provide the gun may be readily moved into and out of operative position along a circular track, the operating mechanism cooperating with the track to effect this movement. The structure which I provide mayv employ common means for swinging the gun arm into operative position and for holding the gun against movement from that position during the feeding operation. In the structure which I provide relatively few operating parts are necessary and it may be readily mounted adjacent the tap. hole of the furnace without occupying an undue amount of space. The structure which I provide has" the further advantage of being relatively cheap from the standpoint of construction and operating costs.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not intend that my invention may be limited thereto as it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a furnace having a tapping hole, a generally horizontal track extending toward the furnace adjacent the tapping hole, a mud gun adapted for generally horizontal movement toward the furnace guided by the track and means separate from the track for tilting the mud gun.

2. Mud gun mechanism, comprising a track adapted to be mounted adjacent a furnace, a mud gun movable along the track, means including a motor for moving the gun along the track into and out of operative position relative to the furnace, and brake means for the motor Thus the gun and the support 35 carrying the gun actuating motor 36 can be rotated freely shaft for holding the gun in operative position.

3. The combination with a furnace of a mud gun mounted adjacent the furnace, and means including a curved rack having one end directed toward the furnace and extending outwardly and laterally therefrom and a pinion meshing with said curved rack for moving the gun into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

4. The combination with a furnace of a track mounted adjacent the furnace, a mud gun mounted for movement along the track, and means including a pinion and a rack forming a portion of the track for moving the gun along the track into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

5. The combination with a, furnace of a support adjacent the furnace,'-a boom pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said support, a mud gun carried by the boom, a track cooperating with the free end of the boom, and means carried by the boom for moving the free end thereof along the track, whereby the gun is moved into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

6. The combination with a furnace of a support, a boom having one end pivotally mounted on said support, a mud gun carried by the boom, a track cooperating with the free end of the boom, and means for moving the free end of the boom along the track, whereby the gun is moved into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

7; The combination with a furnace of a support adjacent the furnace, a boom having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the support, a mud gun carried by the boom, a track cooperating with the free end of the boom, and means including a motor and driving mechanism cooperating with the track for moving the free end of the boom and the gun carried thereby along the track and into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

8. The combination with a mud gun for sealing a furnace opening, of a track, a support adjacent the, track, a boom having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the support, a pivotal connection between the gun and boom adjacent, the free end of the boom, driving means at least partially carried by the boom for moving the boom about its pivot and the free end along the track, and a driving connection between said means and said track.

9. The combination with a mud gun for sealing a furnace opening, of a track, a support adjacent the track, a boom pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the support, a pivotal con nection between the gun and boom adjacent the free end of the boom, means adjacent the free end of the boom cooperating with the track, and means for moving the boom about its pivot and the free end along the track whereby the gun is moved into and out of operative position relative to the furnace.

10. The combination with a mud gun for sealing a furnace opening, of a fixedly mounted track, a support adjacent the track, a boom having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the support, rollers adjacent the free end of the boom cooperating with the track, and driving means carried by the boom and cooperating with the track for moving the gun into and out of operative position.

- EDGAR. E. BROSIUS. 

